More than 2,700 drink-driving offences were recorded in Northern Ireland in the past year, prompting fresh warnings to motorists ahead of St Patrick’s Day celebrations.

Road safety campaigners say drivers should be particularly wary of the “morning after” effect, when alcohol from the night before can still leave them over the legal limit.

Official figures show there were 2,763 drink-driving offences recorded in Northern Ireland in the 12 months to November, highlighting that alcohol remains a significant factor in road safety incidents.

During the PSNI’s recent Christmas drink-drive enforcement campaign, officers carried out around 5,200 roadside breath tests, with more than 7% of motorists either failing the test or refusing to provide a sample.

In total, 288 people were arrested - with Belfast City once again recording the highest number of drink-drive arrests (56).

“Many people assume that if they’ve had a good night’s sleep they will automatically be safe to drive the next morning, but that’s simply not the case,” said Hunter Abbott, Managing Director of breathalyser firm AlcoSense.

“Alcohol is processed slowly by the body. Even if you feel fine the next day, you could still be over the legal limit and impaired.”

Research shows that at the legal drink-drive limit in Northern Ireland, a driver is around 13 times more likely to be involved in a fatal collision than when completely sober.

AlcoSense is urging people celebrating St Patrick’s Day to plan ahead. Options include arranging a lift home, taking a taxi or public transport, or choosing a designated driver who will not drink.

“If you’re unsure whether you’re safe to drive the next morning, the only way to know for certain is to use a personal breathalyser,” added Abbott.

“St Patrick’s Day should be about celebrating with friends and family. No one wants those celebrations to end in tragedy.”

Drivers caught over the limit in Northern Ireland can face up to six months in prison, a fine of up to £5,000 and a driving ban of at least 12 months.

More drink drivers caught than 10 years ago in Northern Ireland

More motorists in Northern Ireland are being caught drink driving than a decade ago, new figures reveal.

Data released by PSNI shows that last year 3,837 drivers failed a roadside breath test or refused to provide a sample.

This contrasts with 3,386 in 2015 – an increase of 13%.

The number of tests conducted was also up 15% compared with ten years ago – with 31,617 motorists stopped by Police in 2024.

Northern Ireland drivers are four times more likely to be breathalysed than in England - with 16 tests per 1,000 population compared to just 4.

“It’s disappointing that so many drivers are still found to be over the legal limit”, comments Hunter Abbott, MD of personal breathalyser firm AlcoSense.

“In fact the number of motorists failing the test has increased from one in ten, to one in eight, over the past 15 years”.

• Two fifths (39%) of breath tests conducted in 2024 were as a result of road traffic collisions. The worst time of day was between 3am and 6am when one in four motorists (24%) tested positive.
• The highest number of tests was carried out on Sundays, which also saw the biggest number of failures.
• Separate figures published by PSNI show a 6% increase in drink or drug driving offences referred for prosecution, compared with 2015.
• Men accounted for four fifths of the offences and over half (55%) were in the 30-49 age group.
• Belfast City was the drink/drug drive hotspot with 538 offences detected – a rate of 19 per 10,000 adult population.
• Fermanagh & Omagh (229 offences) recorded the highest percentage rate, with 25 per 10,000.
• Lisburn & Castlereagh City had the fewest detections (179), whilst Ards and North Down had the lowest rate per 10,000 population (14).

“A breath test failure rate of 12% does at least compare favourably with England and Wales, where it’s 16%,” adds Hunter Abbott.

“Even if you feel fine the next morning, alcohol can still be in your system – impairing your reactions and judgment. If unsure whether you’re safe to drive, the only way to be certain is to use a personal breathalyser”.

All convicted drink drivers in Northern Ireland are now automatically referred to a rehabilitation training course. Those completing the course will see their disqualification period cut by up to 25%.

Penalties for driving when above the legal limit can include six months in prison, a fine of up to £5,000 and/or a ban for at least 12 months.

-ends-

4 June 2025

Sources:

https://www.psni.police.uk/sites/default/files/2025-05/Preliminary%20Breath%20Tests%20NI%202024.pdf

https://www.psni.police.uk/sites/default/files/2025-03/Motoring%20Offences%202024%20Annual%20Report.pdf